Device for tearing wrapping-paper from continuous-rolled sheets



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

A. W. JEROME. A DEVIOE FOR TEARING :WRAPPING'PAPEE PROM CONTINUOUS ROLLED sEEETs.

Patented-Dec. 281886.

N, PETERS. Pholo'Liihcgnpher, Washington!) C.

(No Model.) zsneets-sneet 2.

AW. JEROME. DEVICE FOR TEARING WRAPPING PAPER PROM CONTINUOUS ROLLED SHEETS. No. 354,981. PatentedDecl 28, 1886.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALONZO W. JEROME, OF PAXTON, ILLINOIS.

DEVICE FOR TEARING WRAPPING-PAPER FROM CONTINUOUS-ROLLED SHEETS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 354,981, dated December 28, 1886.

Application filed April 2. 1883. Serial No. 90,403. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALONZO W. JEROME, a citizen of the United States, residing at Paxton, in the county of Ford and State. of Illinois, have invented'certain new and useful Improvements in Devices for Tearing WVrapping- Paper from Continuous-Rolled Sheets; and I hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same.

My invention relates to devices for the above purpose, whether intended to lie on the counter, or to be supported under the counter, or to be secured to the wall.

The object sought to be attained by my present invention is such simplicity and convenience in the construction and operation of a device for the above purpose as will serve to render it thoroughly practical.

The difficulty with the various devices to the same purpose heretofore in use hasbeen that they were too complicated, thus rendering them inconvenient in the manner of adjustmentand use, besides needlessly expensive. In devices of this nature, since they are in frequent use, and are generally used hurriedly, the slightest fault becomes a serious one, and only the simplest possible mechanism can prove of value. Nearly all ,devices of this I kind hitherto contrived, so far as I am aware,

involve, broadly considered, two salient features-'viz., a holder for the roll of paper and a bar or plate of some sort, either fixed or pivoted, under or over which the paper is drawn from the roll, and against the edge of which it is torn straight across. Regarded thus broadly, my present deviceinvolves these two features also, but so constructed and in such relation to each other as to avoid the use of a cumbersome inclosing-frame, and to overcome other defects which have heretofore existed.

To render the device thoroughly convenient and practical it must have the following properties:

First. The roll of paper must be readily accessible to the hand to enable the user to start the paper forward in a moment by a simple turn of thewrist, or easily to rewind the roll if more than the required quantity be drawn out. For this purpose I make the holder for the roll open at the top, or if a cover be placed over the roll it must beso constructed and ad justed to the holder as to permit instant removal, or be so hinged to the bottom or other part of the holder that it may be quickly thrown backward or forward in such manner as fully to expose the roll of paper to free manipulation by the hand of the operator.

Secondly. The relation of the tearing'bar to the roll must be such that the paper, when started by turning the roll, as above explained, will readily pass out under the tearing-bar, or be easily reached, and thus not tend to gather into a mass between the source of supply and the bar, causing inconvenience and loss of 6 time to the user in drawing out the sheet. For this purpose I attach the tearing-bar immediately to the front of the holder, thus bringing it very near the roll, and also place it with its lower edge near the base of the holder, whereby the end of the paper will readily find its way out under the tearing-edge, or may be easily reached when once the paper has been started forward from the base of the roll.

Thirdly. It must also be so compact as to meet the objection frequently made of want of space. It will be seen from the drawings that the placing, of the bar close to the roll of paper, and even with the base thereof, permits the employment of the shortest possible platform or bottom to the receptacle.

As for the purpose in view in this invention when constructed as described, (in contradistinction to devices known as tab lets,) the platform must not extend much, if at all, beyond the front edge of the tearing'bar, and with the tearing-edge well sharpened fairly good work may be done if the platform does not extend under the bar.

My invention consists in the general construction and arrangement of parts above out lined; also in the construction which I prefer to employ both as to the form of holder for the roll, in combination with the tearing-bar, and also in the device by which I maintain the roll in a cylindrical form and journal it to the holder, all as hereinafter more fully set forth.

In the drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of my device, showing the front; Fig. 2, a like view showing the rear} Fig. 3, a transverse section of the device, and Fig. 4 a central longitudinal section of one of thejournals,

and Fig. 5 is a view of the device provided with a pivoted tearing bar or knife.

A is the holder, which I generallymake with a slot or notch, w, in the bottom, extending inward from the front edge thereof, to permit the end of the paper to be reached with the fingers, though, if desired, the bottom o may be wholly omitted, thereby reducing the cost ofconstruction, but impairing the convenience of the device, as two hands must necessarily be used in getting hold of the end of the paper, one being employed in raising the front of the holder by means of the knob or proj eetion p on the bar, while the other grasps the end of the paperthus exposed. The knob is used also when the bar is pivoted, as hereinafter referred to. The upper surface of the bottom 0 should be raised to the extent of about the thickness of a finger above the surface upon which the device rests, either by making the bottom itself of sufficient thickness to produce this effect, as represented in the drawings, or by mounting it upon supports. The holdermust be open at the top sufiiciently to permit the roll to be inserted without difficulty and easily handled. B is the tearing-bar, which I prefer to place in an inclined position, as shown, and which must be immediately at the front of the holder, whereby it forms, or may form, the front barshould not be so great as to fail to afford a point of resistance to the paper when pressed upward by the users fingers while grasping the end of the paper to draw it out. This position of the bar i. e., horizontal or moderately inelinedin combination with such construction of the holder that the unwound web passes in a direct line from the base of the roll, lying in the receptacle, to the tearing-edge of the bar, as shown by the drawings, or nearly so, whereby the web will find its own way out under the tearing-edge, and with the slot or notch w, is of especial advantage when the receptacle is covered, as before described, or when the device is placed under the counter in such position that the roll cannot so easily be reached with the hand for the purpose of starting out the end of the paper after a sheet has been'torn off. The tearing-bar may either befixed, as represented in the drawings, or else it may be pivotally connected to the ends of the holder, whereby the lower or tearing edge may be raised, the latter construction having some advantage where a bottom for the receptacle is provided, since it serves to facilitate the insertion of the fingers to draw out the end of the paper if the turning of the roll does not readily produce this eflect, as may sometimes happen, especially if the paper is thin.

The tearing-edge of the bar may be either plain or serrated.

While the roll of paper may be free within the holder, if desired, I much prefer to journal it to the ends of the same by means of a device adapted to'permit a gradual descent of the roll as the latter diminishes in size,whereby the base of the roll always remains at or nearly rier for the roll 0. The angle'of inclination.

in the same plane with the egress-opening under the edge of the tearing-bar. For this purpose I provide the ends of the holder with slots a, which may be vertical, as shown, or oblique, as indicated by the dotted lines, extending for a suitable distance down from the top, and I also provide plugs or tompions D, entering the central opening of the roll at each end and fitting within the slots it. These tompions, it will be seen, are much more quickly and easily adjusted than a spindle passing entirely through would be. In addition to the func tion of journaling the roll in place, the tompions perform the additional function, no less important, of preserving the cylindrical shape of the roll, which, if left for any considerable length of time lying in one position, tends to settle into an elliptical form, thus impairing its rolling properties. The tompions should be slightly conical in form, as shown in the drawings, to admit of their insertion without crowding the edges of the paper inward at the ends of the central opening; and if it be not desired to use them as journals, but only to preserve the cylindrical form of the roll, the extensions t, which enter the slots to, may be omitted. Ifthe roll is journaled in place, the back of the holder may be left wholly open, though it is no disadvantage in any case to have the back pieces, 8, extending inward a short distance from each end of the receptacle. If no journals are used, they serve to retain the roll in place without interfering with the action of the hand in turning it; and by providing them with screw-holes they become a convenient means for securing the device to a wall or other support. WVhen the roll is not journaled, either a back of some form should be used or else thebottom of the holder should be made sloping toward the front, so that the roll may remain in contact with the bar B. The latter form is especially recommended when the device is supported under a counter.

I am aware that certain devices having the same general purpose in view as in my inven-' tion have been described, and my claims are therefore limited to the forms and combina tions herein particularly pointed out. Prior to my invention a holder for postage-stamps was made with the top and back out out to allow the manipulation of the roll, but the opening was insufficient to allow the introduction of the stamps. My holder is entirely open at the top, and substantially so at therear, whereby a roll haying a diameter equal to the distance between the cutter and the rear of the holder can be insertedin place and freely manipulated without danger of abrading the hands. A holder providing forsuch a result or operation was not known or used prior to my invention.

Other constructionssueh as shown in Patent No. 224,010 to Gilson, and in-No. 125,070 to Montignani and Gibson, J i'., that were not entirely open at the top andbaek require necessarily a large ease or holder to provide for the ready insertion and easy manipulation of the roll. I do not, however, herein claim ICU this feature, broadly, but only in the new rela tions set forth, because of my Patent No. 248,323.

My patent above referred to describes slots for the journals provided in straps or. hangers.

As there shown, these slots are nearer a horizontal than a vertical line. I now'make them vertical, or nearly so, and locate them in a definite relation to a holder. served that the slots in my present device are open at the top, and extend to near the base, whereby the journals or tompions, shaped as represented, to prevent endwise motion, may be dropped into the same and freely descend as the roll decreases in size. The tompions herein described could not be used in the elongated slots shown in my former'patcnt, and the inclined slots there shown necessitate an unnecessary lateral extension of the whole devlce. V

I am also aware that .the notch in'the part that supports the paper near the cutting-edge, said part being secured to a case-supporting frame by clamps or bolts, is not new, but I make the notch or slot extend through the body of the base or paper support. As illustrated, this support is made quite thick, so that when it rests upon a plain surface there is room for the insertion of a finger to aid in grasping the paper. To effect the same result in a thin base, it could be raised above the counter or plain support or otherwise separated from it, and as the notch extends through the base the finger could readilybe introduced therein. And it is obvious that so far as this result is concerned, if the base were made exceedingly thick-as, for example, an inch or more-the notch w ould admitthe finger, though not cut entirely through said base. In the particular above described my construction differs from one wherein the paper could only be seized on the under side by a finger-nail.

I am further aware that pivoted knives have been used in devices of the class specified but none priorto my invention have been pivoted in a vertical plane tangential to the full-sized roll when placed in position, or in a plane equidistant with the rear of the case or holderfrom the center of such roll or from the j ournal-bearing thereof. In patent to Eaton, No. 7,087, reissue of May 2, 1876, theiknife is pivoted to a frame that supports the case or holder, and outside of such holder, which is provided with a slot to allow the passage of the paper, the construction being in this respect unlike mine in compactness, simplicity, and economy. This device further differs from minein the relative situation of the roll and knife with reference to the intermediate passage for the paper. In my device these are arranged sub- I stantially as shown, so that when the paper and tearing bar or knife are grasped together and the latter swung upwardly on its pivots the paper will be unrolled and drawn out, and when the knife is dropped the paper will extend beyond the edge of the same and can be independently grasped. In the patented con- It will be ob-,

struction referred to the knife is pivoted in about the same plane as that in which the paper issues from a slot in an inclosing-case, said slot being nearly on a plane with the pivots of the tearing-bar, so that the paper sheet is not drawn out in a plane tangential to the roll, but is simply bent upwardly-when it is raised together with the tearing bar or knife, and when the latter is dropped the paper does-not project'beyond the edge of the knife, so that it can beindependently grasped. Apparently, the edge of the paper can only be reached when the bar is down by catching it between the nails of a finger and thumb, or by separately raising the bar and seizing the paper edge by a nail and thumb.

I am aware that a pivoted knife has been placed in a relation similar to mine, and pro videdwith a knob whereby said knife could be raised to allow the paper sheet to be grasped, no notch being provided, and such construction I do not claim.

What Iclairn as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

4 1. In a device for separating a continuous roll of paper into sheets, the combination of a holder for the roll open at the top and back for the insertion and handlingof the roll, and a bar having a tearingedge to facilitate the tearing of the paper, said bar being secured immediately in the front of the said holder and closely adjacent to the roll when in position in the holder and in such relation thereto that the paper,when drawn out under the said tearing 7 edge, moves in a tangent, or nearly so, to the base of the roll, substantially as described.

2. In a device for separating a continuousv roll of paper into sheets, a holder for the roll such a relation that the paper when drawn out under the tearingedge moves in a tangent, or nearly so, to the base of the roll, substantially as described.

3. The holder having end pieces slotted, as

described, the back pieces, S, and the tearing" bar secured to the end pieces immediately in front of the roll, substantially as specified.

' at. The combination, with a roll of paper, of the tompions D, having grooved extensions 1, as shown, and inserted into the central opening of the roll, and the holder provided with open slots .or guides, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

5. In a device for tearing rolled wrappingpaper into sheets, the combination of the following elements: first, a holder having a bot- I tom terminating at or near the front of the holder, said bottom being provided with a axis of the roll, and to obviate too great moslot or notch, W, extending inward from its forward edge, and, second, a tearing-bar at the front of the holder and closely adjacent to the roll, as specified, between the tearing-edge of which bar and the upper side ofthe said bottom near the forward end is an egress-opening for the web of paper, whereby the said web passes out in the same planeor nearly so,

with the base of the roll as it rests in thehold er, substantially as described.

6. The combination of the ends of the holder having vertical slots extending to or near to the base,and the roll provided with tompions, whereby the roll is readilyinserted and subsequently kept in position on the base toprevent a forward or backward movement of the the knife and intermediate parts holdingthem in fixed relative position, and constituting an open holder for the ready insertion and ma nipulation of a paper-roll, and adapted to be secured to a vertical wall, substantially as described.

9., The combination of a roll-holder, an unobstructed notched base or support for the paper sheet tangential to the roll, and a tearing bar or knife pivoted above the base, whereby the tangential sheet may be readily graspedbetween the thumb and finger and the sheet drawn from the roll by swinging the bar, substantially as set forth.

10. In a device fortearing rolled paper into sheets, a holder for the roll having its bottom extended to form a guide for the web, and provided with a notch or slot to permit the web to be grasped, in combination witha tearing-bar secured directly to the holder above the extended bottom and closely adjacentto the roll when in position in the holder, as described.

ALONZO W. JEROME. In presence of ELTON J. MEANS, J. It. PATRICK. 

